Sheet separating and feeding machine



(No Model.)

E. DUMMER.

SHEET SEEAEATING AND EEEDING MACHINE. No. 566,671. Patented Aug, 25,1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EETCE.

ED'WARD DUMMER, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHEET SEPARATING AND FEEDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,671, dated August25, 1896.

Application filed July 1 2 189 5.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD DUMMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Auburndale, in the city of Newton, county of Middlesex, andState of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSheet-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to mechanism forseparating sheets (of paper or likeflexible ma.- terial) individually from a pile of sheets; and itconsists in the devices and combinations of devices hereinafter setforth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan, Fig.

` i? a side elevation, and Fig. 8 a central longitudinal section, of amachine embodying my invention. Figs. l and 5 show details.

Assuming the previous state of the art to be such that repeatedprogressive action of a suitable instrument on the surface of apile ofsheets, as, for instance, rolling a roller under pressure on the surfaceof the pile, causes the sheets to be offset, so that an edge of theoutermost sheet Will project suinciently beyond the adjacent sheet as tobe seized and removed from the pile; furthermore, that such offsettingmay be caused though an apron of flexible material intervene betweensaid instrument and the pile, which apron moves in the direction of themovement of the sheets, I now so apply and adapt said apron that it willnot move as above said. This improvement is accompanied With importa-ntresults, not only modifying the operation of the machine, but greatlyincreasing its simplicityT and efficiency, as will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the machine illustrated in the drawings, the sides A of theframe are maintained in suitable relation to each other by transverserails B. There are several transverse rollers O, each one of which is ona shaft a. Each of the shafts a has bearings t in two endless chains D.Each roller C may revolve freely about its axis. The shafts a will beprevented from moving end- Wise, since their ends will meet the innersurfaces of the sides A. On each of the shafts a are two pulleys orsmall rollers c. Each of these pulleys may revolve freely on its shaft,

Serial No. 555,785l (No model.)

and is located between a roller C and a bearing b. A Way E is secured onthe inner side of each side A, on which the pulleys c (on that side ofthe machine) roll. Sprocketwheels F fastened on a transverse shaft Gengage With the chains D. This shaft has bearings d, one at each side ofthe machine. On this shaft is a driving-pulley H and a grooved pulley I.There are two other sprocket Wheels or pulleys J to revolve freely. Thesprocket wheels E and the 'sprocket-Wheels or pulleys J. are located asshown, and so that the chains Will move about the same and be driven bymeans of the sprocket-Wheels F. On the sides A are located transversebars K and L. These bars are adjustable forward and backward, the upperpart of each side A being formed to provide a guide therefor, each barbeing secured in the desired position by means of thumb-nuts e andscrews f. On extensions M of the sides A are stands g, having' bearingsfor a transverse roller N. These stands are adjustable forward andbackward on the extensions M (which are formed as Ways therefor) and aresecured in position by means of thumb-screws L. Each stand g is alsoprovided with a slot j, in Which is held one end of a shaft for a rollerO. Thus this roller O, being of the required Weight, Will bear asrequired on the roller N and constitute a preferable form of a gripperand a carrier for a sheet. There is a grooved pulley l? secured torevolve with the roller N. A belt Q extends about the pulley P, a pulleyR to revolve freely on a stud lo, (adjustably secured to the frame bymeans of a thumbscrew 2,) and once around the pulley l.

Assuming the machine, so far as above described, to be substantially ofprevious invention, I now combine therewith certain devices,as follows:One end of an apron S is secured at the rear of the machine, being fastened to a transverse rod T, which is held at its ends in sockets fm, soas to readily be removed, if required. The apron S is of flexiblematerial, as Woven cloth, and extends over a lixed transverse rail U,over the rollers C, and overaiixed transverse rail V. The forward end ofthe apron preferably hangs down and has a Weight W' secured thereto,Which serves to keep the apron from being IOO accidentally displaced. Tothe transverse bar K are secured (adjustably by means of screws andthumb-nuts n) two right-angled corner-pieces X, which serve (being ofany required height) as an abutment for the pile of sheets and as gagesat the sides of the pile. To the transverse bar L are secured(adjustably by means of screws and thumb-nuts o) two guides Y. Each ofthese guides is formed of the rigidly-secured part p and a part q, whichconsists of avertical plane strip r and a thin horizontal strip s. Thepart q of the guide is prevented from moving sidewise, since the strip ris partially within a vertical slot in the part p. The part q isprevented from sliding endwise by means of a pin t, which extendshorizontally through the part p and the strip r. The part q may,however, move freely up and down, the hole therein for the pin t being avertical slot.

The abutment and gages X and the guides Y having been set as required,apile of sheets Z is placed on the apron S, so that the rear cornerswill be within the pieces X, as shown, and the strips r of the guides Ywill be, as to their rear-end portions, at the sides of the pile and thestrips s partly under the pile, as shown. The rollers N and O are set sothat the distance from them to the pile is sufficient to allow thebottom sheet to be readily drawn from under the remaining sheets whenseized by these rollers. The shaft G being revolved, (in the directionindicated by the arrow,) the rollers C will roll forward and freelyagainst the under surface of the apron S, which is pressed on therollers by the weight of the pile. The result of this action is to causea certain number of the lower sheets of the pile to move forward, eachsheet of this number to move faster than the adjacent sheet thereabove,and also cause the balance of the pile to press rearward against theabutment X. When the lowest sheet has reached the rollers N and O, itwill be gripped by these rollers, and these rollers (the peripheries ofwhich move much faster than the movement of the sheets caused by therollers (l) will pull the sheet from under and carry it away from theremainder of the sheets.

Vhile it may not be incumbent on me to explain herein the nature of theaction which occurs to produce the result,which is as above set forth,yet (according to my present understanding of this action and in theabsence of a better expression) I style the action of the rollers on thepile progressive compression. The pile is pressed (by the weightthereof) on each roller O thereunder, and since each roller movesforward the line of pressure thereat progresses correspondingly.Furthermore, it appears that the sheets are not moved as by the frictionof an instrument moved against, in contact with the pile, since theapron S does not move bodily forward. The pressing of the main body ofthe pile backward against the rear abutment appears to result from areaction caused by preventing the apron from moving bodily forward.

If the apron S did move forward, (which occurred in a machine previouslyinvented by me, the apron being endless and suitably guided in itsmovement,) then the sheets would be offset somewhat, as herein shown,but the offset of each sheet with reference to the adjacent sheet wouldnot be so great as in the present case. lf the apron S moved forward,the pile as a body would press against an abutment at the forward end.Thus, not only is the machine provided with a stationary (with referenceto a movement bodily forward) apron quite different from the machine inwhich the apron travels, but the result is far superior. The machine issimpler, since no provision is required for maintaining and guiding amoving apron, and may occupy much less space, since the seizingrollers NO or grippers may be much nearer the pile, the offset of each sheet withreference to the adjacent sheet being greater; and, furthermore, andwhich experiments have clearly demonstrated, the offset is much morecertain and regular, so that the machine is much more reliable. Indeed,thus equipped with a stationary apron (so styled) quite surprisingresults are attained whether the sheets be thick or thin.

As to the guides Y, they seem to be necessary, at least in some cases,owing to liability of an uneven con-dition of the pile or slightvariation in the action of the rollers on the pile. Such variation,though slight, is accumulative in effect, so that the offset sheets maynot progress in a straight line and meet the rollers N O at rightangles, as they should. l have found that by acting against the edges ofseveral sheets of the bottom of the pile while these sheets .are beingslightly and progressively lifted or loosened by the action of therollers, the outcoming sheets may be directed in their movement asrequired.

lf the rollers and shafts thereof should stick at their bearings andthus be held rigidly so as not to revolve, but be carried along astransverse slats under the apron and sheets supported thereby, an effectsomewhat like that which occurs when the rollers revolve would result,namely, the sheets would be offset for the reason that the apron isprevented from moving forward. If the apron could move forward or waswholly dispensed with, then the action and eect of such slats on thesheets would be quite different. The pile would be pressed forwardagainst the transverse bar L and the sheets would be oifset or fannedout on account of the rubbing or friction of the slats `against thesheets. Such osetting or fanning out by rubbing or friction would,however, affect more of the sheets at one time, would be irregular, andowing to the pressure of the pile the sheets would probably move inmasses and the amount of offsetting between any two contiguous sheets beslight, so that the result would be of no ICO IIO

use for the desired purpose, namely, to separate the sheets individuallyfrom the pile with the required degree of certainty.

I claim as my inventionl. In a machine for separating sheetsindividually from a pile, the combination of several transverse rollerseach mounted to revolve freely, means for maintaining,` and carryingsaid rollers from the rear to the front of the machine and returning therollers to the rear of the machine, a flexible apron lying on the uppersurface of said rollers and restrained with reference to a movementbodily toward the front of the machine, and an abutment at the rear ofthe machine for the pile on said apron suppported by said rollers,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of several transverse shafts, rollers to revolvefreely on said shafts, pulleys one at each end of each of said shafts,guides on which said pulleys roll, two endless chains each having abearing for one end of each of said shafts, sprocket-wheels for each ofsaid chains on a revoluble shaft, a fiexible apron to lie upon the uppersurfaces of said rollers and restrained as to a forward movement in thedirection of its planeLand an abutment for a pile of sheets on saidapron and rollers, substantially as specified.

3. In a machine for separating sheets from a pile of sheets, a supportfor a pile of sheets which has several places of bearing for said pile,means for causing said support to travel forward under said pile, anapron on said support with which the pile is in contact and which isrestrained as to a movement forward, and an abutment for said pile,substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a support for a pile of sheets, an abutment forsaid pile, a guide at a side of said pile, a flexible apron on saidsupport between the support and pile, and means for moving said supportforward under said pile and apron said support providing severalseparate places of contact with said apron,`the apron being restrainedas to a forward movement, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of several transverse rollers free to revolve and tobe carried forward, a flexible apron on said rollers restrained as tomovement bodily forward, means for carrying said rollers forward, anabutment, and gripper and carrier adjustable to position for seizing thelowermost and foremost sheet of a pile of sheets on said rollers whenthe sheets are offset, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine for separating sheets individually from a pile, a rollermaintained in position to press against said pile, means for moving saidroller forward, an abutment for the pile, and a heXible apron betweensaid roller and pile, said apron being restrained as to a movementbodily forward, substantially as specified.

EDWARD DUMMER.

Witnesses:

WILLARD E. SIBLEY, RICHARD T. LAFFIN.

